Wall outlet box mounting



1952 F. B. SHEPARD WALL. OUTLET BOX MOUNTING Filed Nov. 19, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Frank B 6% BY efiara,

Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics WALL OUTLET BOX MOUNTING Frank B; Shepard, Texon, Tex. Application November 19, 1948, Serial No. 60,993" 1 Claim. (01. 248'27) This invention relates to electrical supports, and more particularly to a support for an electrical switch box.

The object of the invention is to provide a fixture which will facilitate the installation of various sized switch boxes in wall boards of buildmgs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fixture for maintaining a switch box anchored in a wall board opening even though the switch box be subjected to impact and other stresses.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting fixture for switch boxes which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a wall board provided with an opening, showing the finished side of the board, and illustrating the supporting fixtures positioned therein;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the switch box arranged in the opening and anchored therein by the supporting fixtures;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank from which one of the supporting fixtures is made;

Figure 6 is a persepctive view of one of the supporting fixtures, according to the present invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral Ill designates a portion of a wall board of a building, there being an opening I l arranged in the wall board H] for the projection therethrough of a conventional open-mouthed switch box l2. The switch box 12 includes a toggle switch l3 (broken lines, Figure 2), and an adjustable clamping ear It on each end. After assembling the switch in the wall board opening I i, a suitable faceplate (not shown) is arranged thereover and secured by suitable fastening elements.

For anchoring the switch box 12 in the opening I I, a supporting fixture I5 is arranged on each side thereof. Each of the supporting fixtures I5 is fabricated of a single continuous piece of suitable sheet metal and comprises a flat portion l6, and a pair of spaced, parallel legs or'straps l1 and N. The free ends of the legs I! and I8 2 are adapted to be manually bent back upon themselves to define jaws l9 for receiving and holding the side portions of the switch box l2. One end 20 of the fiat portion 16 projects beyond the leg l8 for abutting a portion of the wall board ill. Arranged intermediate the legs I! and I8 and operatively connected to the flat portion 16 is an angular bracket 2| for abutting the back side of the wall board 10.

Referring to Figure 5, there is shown the blank for making one of the supporting fixtures I5. Thus, the blank includes the fiat portion l6 provided with a rearwardly-extending lip 9 which is folded along the line B. The blank is cut to de fine the pair of spaced, parallel legs I! and [8. The intermediate portion 22 of the blank between the legs H and I8 is first bent along the line 23 and the intermediate portion 22 is then folded along the line 24 and its free end is positioned between the folded lip 9 and the flat portion I6 is thereby define the angular bracket 2|.

In use, the pair of fixtures l5 are arranged on opposite sides of the opening H, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The switch box I2 is then inser'ted through the opening II which has a pair of its diagonal corners notched, as at 25, to allow clearance for the projecting lugs 26 of the switch box l2. The fixtures l5 are arranged so that the angular bracket abuts the rear surface of the wall board It). Next, the legs I! and II? are bent over the edge of the switch box l2 to thereby securely anchor the switch box, Figures 2 and 4.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a device has been provided which will facilitate the installation of various types of electrical switch boxes. The devices has no sharp edges and there is provided a board area of surface contact for preventing the switch box I2 from working loose from the wall board [0. By using the supporting fixture, the user can easily install switch boxes in new or old building constructions. The fixtures are made of sheet metal, such as sheet steel, copper, aluminum, or the like, in order to conform to the necessary building codes.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and describedrit is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is to be further pointed out that the device herein comprised can be installed in a wall covering of any material in which the desired opening may be made. The fixture also can be used in wall coverings of various thickness.

It is also believed obvious that the number of fixtures l5 used can be varied as determined by the size of the switch box.

I claim:

In a mountin for a wall outlet box, a pair of identical fixtures adapted to be positioned at opposite sides of an opening in the wall, each of said fixtures comprising a blank of sheet metal formed to provide a flat body portion, a flange bent at an acute angle outward from the top edge of said body portion, a tongue out medially from the bottom edge of said body portion and having its free end bent upwardly at an acute angle and engaged beneath said flange, said tongue seating on the inner surface of a side edge portion of the wall opening, the portions of said body portion at the opposite sides of the tongue cutout constitutlng other tongues which are adapted to extend through the wall opening and be bent over and about the edge of the latter prior to the seating of the outlet box within the wall opening, the last named tongues being subsequently bent in the opposite direction and over and about the edge of the adjacent side of the outlet box to retain the outlet box in place.

FRANK B. SHEPARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,828,064 Paine Oct. 20, 1931 2,346,402 Snyder Apr. 11, 1944 

